Violence against women in Africa dates back to primordial society, where cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and polygamous marriages were prescribed and supervised by male-dominated social structures. Women's status has always been at high risk, since such practices are male supervised. With the upsurge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic globally, research needs to focus on such cultural practices, the dangers of such practices, and possible eradication. The present article examines the change-resistant, prevailing religious, social, and psychological barriers to change.
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